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September 2018
Established in 1980
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In this issue you will find:
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The monsoon season is winding down, and plants are happy to have received abundant rains. |
- Message from the President
- Upcoming Events
- Member Tours & Events
- Seminars
- Feature Articles
- Now Selling - GVG's "Plot to Plate" Cookbook
- "In Your Plot"
- Wanted - Board of Directors Candidates
- Tidbits from Club Archives
- Make a Donation to GVG via AmazonSmile
- Project Updates
- Allen J. Ogden Community Garden
- Arid Garden
- Desert Meadows Park
- GVG Gardens at Historic Canoa Ranch
- Committee Updates
- Seminars
- Fall Plant Sale
- Membership
Would you like to submit an article or a photo for the August newsletter? Please submit it to [email protected] by September 28.
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
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I am pleased to be able to update the membership regarding the club's gardening cookbook, "From Plot to Plate: Growing Tips and Recipes from the Green Valley Gardeners". The due date for receipt of the cookbook is September 15; however, there will be a pre-sale offer to members using the club's web site, much like what we do with online membership renewal. The pre-sale price per copy will be $12; after September 15 the price will be $15. We're still working on the presale online process. This is the first time the club has attempted both a cookbook and online sales so please bear with us if some problems occur as we get the system working.
Beginning this September, the club's Board of Directors meeting will occur the second Tuesday of the month, NOT the first Tuesday. Meetings will remain in the Friends in Deed facility. The move to the second Tuesday was made to afford the Treasurer sufficient time to reconcile the club's financial report and present that to the board for review and approval. All club members are encouraged and welcome to attend board meetings. The Board of Directors meeting agenda will be posted on the club's web site beginning this year for all members to review and comment.
The first seminar will be on Thursday, September 27, with Lorna Mitchell presenting on planting cool weather vegetables. We will continue to hold our seminars at the GVR Desert Hills Social Center auditorium. Doors will open at 8:30 a.m. with free coffee and cookies starting at 9:00 a.m. Presentations will begin at 9:30 a.m. and will conclude sharply at 10:30 a.m.
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Seminars
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| Both carrots and parsnips are two of the many vegetables that do well in our cool season gardens. |
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September 27
~ Desert Hills Seminar ~ "Growing Cool Season Vegetables", featuring Lorna Mitchell, GVG club member, trained horticulturist and experienced desert gardener.
Member Tours & Events
Member activities will resume in October
Visit our
website for a complete calendar of events
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Now Selling - Green Valley Gardeners' "Plot to Plate Cookbook"
Whether you're new to vegetable gardening in the desert or looking for tasty new ways to use your bountiful harvest, the Green Valley Gardeners' new publication, "
Plot to Plate: Growing Tips and Recipes from the Green Valley Gardeners" is just what you need.
As the title suggests, the book is not your average cookbook. In addition to offering 191 tried and true recipes from 30 club members, it's a growing guide for a successful Sonoran desert vegetable garden plot. Expert advice from Lorna Mitchell, a club member, trained horticulturist and experienced desert gardener, includes tips for choosing good plant varieties for our area, how and when to plant, how to harvest, and ways to store and preserve your produce.
How to purchase:
- Now through September 15, GVG members can purchase copies online at the special pre-sale price of $12 per copy.
- Starting September 16, members and non-members can purchase copies online for $15 per copy, as well as at our seminars and at member events. Copies purchased online can be picked up at club seminars, Desert Meadows Park on Wednesdays or the Arid Garden on Fridays. The books will not be mailed.
- Click here to purchase your cookbook from our online store and view details for pickup options.
Please support this important club fundraiser and help your garden thrive!
Thanks to the Cookbook Committee, comprised of Marilee Crumley, Rena Duffy, Lorna Mitchell and Christa Ryan, for their hard work and dedication to make this valuable resource a reality.
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| Grasshoppers are a serious problem this time of year. Consider covering your plants with an old sheet or fine netting. |
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"In Your Plot"
by Lorna Mitchell
Autumn arrives in some parts of the country in this month, but not in southern Arizona - we get summer round two! Keep watering your plants by maintaining irrigations and timers, weeding that pesky grass, and controlling insect pests. This is also a good time to apply a little extra nitrogen to your actively growing plants since soluble nutrients get washed out with rains and constant irrigation. A simple way to do this is to dissolve a teaspoon (or a little less) of Miracle Gro in a gallon of water and pour a little at the base of all your plants in addition to regular watering.
Nights will get chilly eventually so we need to get ready to put in our winter crops. Prepare soil now for success by digging in composted steer manure, peat moss, granulated fertilizers and other composted vegetation. As you dig, remove and destroy grubs that lurk among your roots nibbling away. Nourish your friends the earthworms by adding veggie scrap smoothies that you make in your blender at home and bring to the garden.
Seeds
of these cool season vegetables can be put in anytime this month and next: carrots, beets, kohlrabi, turnips, rutabagas, collards, parsnips, Swiss chard, and cilantro. Seeds of spinach and peas will prefer to wait for next month.
Transplants
of broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, Swiss chard, spinach, and kale can go in near the end of September or early October. Keep a sharp eye for cabbage looper caterpillars; pick off and spray with Bt.
Those who are willing to take a risk can still plant green beans; choose the "55 days to harvest" variety and if the frost is late you may have fresh beans for Thanksgiving.
Snip off the lower browning leaves of your staked tomato plants; this reduces disease and pest hiding places. Clean out rotting veggies and ground debris from under beans, peppers, and eggplants. These crops should continue to produce a harvest if the plants are healthy.
Grasshoppers are often a serious problem in the late summer months and they will not go away until the weather turns cold. They eat their way through everything in short order. Consider protecting seed beds with a cover of an old white sheet until the seedlings start pushing it up. Fine netting (think bridal veil) supported by some posts and held down on all sides by soil will keep predators off small plants.
Those are my plot thoughts for now - happy gardening!
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Wanted - Board of Directors Candidates
The Nominating Committee is looking for members interested in serving on the Green Valley Gardeners Board of Directors.
Board members have the very important responsibility of establishing and administering club policies and giving direction to the president. The board also provides input as to the programs and projects the club undertakes.
The term of office for board members is three years. Board members are elected in October and take office in November.
If you would be willing to serve or would like to nominate a member, please contact Bill Carley at
[email protected]
or 920-344-6563.
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Tidbits from Club Archives
The early record for seminar attendance was
139 attendees who came to hear Master Gardener, Richard Beaubien, speak at the East Social Center His subject was "Closing Your House for the Summer".
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Shop AmazonSmile and Benefit the Garden Club
Green Valley Gardeners is now listed on AmazonSmile. When you shop Amazon, log into AmazonSmile, use your existing personal account login information, select Green Valley Gardeners as your non-profit of choice. The club will receive a small donation for each qualifying purchase you make. Thank you!
To shop AmazonSmile go to
http://smile.amazon.com/
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Allen J. Ogden Community Garden
b
y George Stone
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| Innovative tomato trellis design! |
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In search of the perfect tomato trellis I, along with a zillion others have bought, made, and tried various type of trellises for our tomatoes. I must've spent hundreds and have never liked any, until now - look what Lorna and Fred Mitchell came up with! Those tomatoes are 10 feet tall with a 2-foot-wide aisle down the middle to pick from. That's next years project for me. Its round wire cages spaced about 2 feet apart in an 8-foot row - and there are four rows. Wow - why didn't I think of that?
I'm pleased to say the Ogden has 38 adult gardeners along with 14 children and young adults who enjoy gardening in 19 in-ground plots and eight raised beds. In addition, we enjoy other amenities at the garden such as:
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Ogden Garden's community kitchen/cannery.
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- Four laying hens (one is on a work slowdown strike);
- Twelve hummingbird feeder stations;
- Our tortoise habitat, minus the tortoise;
- Our fully-equipped kitchen/cannery which is probably the one and only outdoor kitchen in Pima County's many community gardens;
- Our 20 x 20 brick floor, shade-covered patio, along with two shaded counter-type eating areas;
- Our 36-inch offset grill/smoker;
- Our trailer-mounted 20-inch pizza oven;
- Our Masterbuilt 22-inch electric smoker.
As of September 1
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, we have three 5-foot x 5-foot raised beds and one in-ground bed available for assignments so if you're a garden club member in need of a garden plot, give George Stone a call at 343-9690. If you're not a member, please join the club and your eligible. Best deal in Green Valley/Sahuarita!
School has started, and we are anxiously waiting to see what can be done for the children at Copper View Elementary this year. We try our best, but despite our efforts we sometimes fail our little people. As an example, I want you to read a letter written to me from one of the second graders who attended our 2016 Christmas party at the Ogden and came away empty handed. I call this "things I never did get" letter. Is there a garden club member out there that would like to join us at the Ogden in helping some dreams come true for our little ones? If so, I'm accepting calls at 343-9690.
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Gaura that did poorly in the grou
nd shows off in its own container.
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Arid Garden
by Mary Kidnocker
Thanks to Linda Gregory and Jo Ann Wilson, our 32-year-old garden is now a
'Certified Butterfly Garden'. Necessary credentials were prepared and sent to the North American Butterfly Association for their consideration. Our long list of butterfly-friendly plants gave the garden immediate approval. Volunteer Bill Carley created a colorful frame for the certificate and mounted it in a shady, yet noticeable spot in the garden for our many visitors to view.
With a newly-paved parking lot and a re-do of Camino Encanto, it seemed appropriate that the street-side surrounding the garden should be spruced up a bit. Volunteers Craig Surprise and Linda Gregory have already spent several hours of weed removal on this work-in-progress. Although the area is not our responsibility, the passing public views it as part of the garden... so occasionally we dig in and give it a thorough cleaning. Check it out this fall when driving by on your way to the seminars at Desert Hills.
So far, the arroyo only spilled over the walks in the garden during one monsoon storm... rainfall has been limited. However, trees and plants are lush and growing, full of blooms and sweet, earthy scents. We once again have a resident bunny, occupants in two of the birdhouses, and a number of unexpected seedling bursts. Come by and enjoy this special place any time.
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The result of deadheading and scattering the seed of Desert Marigolds.
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| Can you find the two butterflies enjoying this Floss Flower (Ageratum)? |
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The "Rainwater Garden" - a new water-harvest demonstration garden along the Anza Trail side path.
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Desert Meadows Park
by Chuck Parsons
Good news at the park for this month is the completion of our new garden which has been under construction for most of the summer. Named the 'Rainwater Garden' - this followed a naming contest by park volunteers. The garden was designed for us by Charlene Westgate of Westgate Garden Design as a demonstration garden. It will be an excellent example of rainwater being captured and then directed toward plants that provide food and habitat for birds. This was the final park enhancement project funded by the 2017 grant we received from Freeport McMoRan Foundation. Other enhancements include the library garden, additional raised-bed garden plots, information boards, dog-bag stations, drinking fountains, bat houses, path upgrades and additional landscaped berms in the desert garden.
With all the enhancements, we expect even more use of the park this coming year. As the weather has improved, we already see an increased use of the picnic areas. The expansion of the Anza Trail by Pima County has definitely brought more visitors to the park - the information board and water fountain we installed along our section of the Anza Trail have gotten good use.
I am very pleased to acknowledge Joyce Hayes, Carmen Johnson and Jerry Lanyon. These members have volunteered to 'adopt' sections of the park. Joyce has taken on a large section of the Anza Trail. Carmen has assumed responsibility for the Barrio Garden. She has already proposed some special events I think the membership will like this coming year. Jerry, an experienced landscape manager, has adopted the South end of the park that contains numerous trees. He has already made vast improvement in the shape and health of these trees. By the way, John Bergstrom, our butterfly guru, has created and maintains an excellent butterfly habitat. He converted the wildflower garden into this butterfly haven. We welcome other members that would like to 'adopt' a section of the park. Individuals' creativity makes this such a special park for our community! Please let Chuck know if you would like to contribute.
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A Celebration of Life for Mike Dudzinski took place in the Barrio Garden. Mike worked at Native Gardens, helping many of our members with their plant needs. He had an extensive collection of plants that are being donated to the park.
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| The lake at Canoa Ranch shortly after it had been filled and Flood Control was just beginning to landscape it. |
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GVG Gardens at Historic Canoa Ranch (HCR)
by Bill Carley, Raydine Taber, and Jack Davis (emeritus)
Our new family of three fledgling finches at Senior House Herb Garden has taken flight and we are now empty nesters.
We haven't had time for anything other than keeping up with weed removal. We want to thank Brent's son for helping us weed Grijalva House courtyard. What a pleasant surprise to arrive on a Tuesday morning to find all the courtyard weeds removed!
You would have to see it to believe it. Several years back a small, one-gallon fig tree was donated to the ranch. We wintered it over at the Pima County Native Nursery prior to planting in the Junior House Courtyard. It was then about three tall. By Anza Day 2017, it was approximately six feet tall and maybe five feet wide. This year it has reached beyond the rooftop and has spread a good ten feet wide. At last check, it was setting a ton of fruit. This Patricia Preciado Martin will be happy and amazed to see her fig tree this upcoming Anza Day.
SAVE THE DATE - ANZA DAY
: Historic Canoa Ranch will host the 6th annual Anza Day festivities on Saturday, October 20th, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Events will be Anza Trail Color Guard, historic presentations, booths, food vendors, and celebrations for completion of Canoa Lake and the of 47 miles of the Anza Trail in Pima County. 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the National Trails System Act establishing the Anza Trail and the Arizona Scenic Trail.
If you haven't seen Canoa Lake, it's a must for all Green Valley residents. Such a spectacular view and lots of birds. On Anza Day, stop by and see the entire lake panorama and say hello to some of our volunteer team. We'll have a visitors' table set up at the Senior Manning House Herb Garden. Always happy to meet other Green Valley Gardeners!
We invite all of you to join us, on our Tuesday gardening adventures, at "the ranch". We meet at 7 a.m. at the Sr. House Herb Garden.
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Seminars
by Bill Carley
The fall 2018 seminar schedule is complete and posted on our website,
www.greenvalleygardeners.com
. It's also posted at both Desert Meadows Park and the Arid Garden. Hard copies will be available at the September 27 seminar.
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Swiss chard is just one of the vegetables that Lorna recommends planting in your cool season garden.
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Growing Cool Season Vegetables ~ Thursday, September 27
Lorna Mitchell, GVG club member, trained horticulturist, experienced desert gardener, and author of the monthly "In Your Plot" column for this newsletter, will take you from picking the plants for cool season gardens through to harvesting them.
Watch for detailed email blasts about our seminars, arriving in your email inbox the Monday morning prior to each seminar.
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Our October fall plant sale is just around the corner. This sale is one of the major fundraisers for our club, and area residents look forward to refreshing their gardens with new plants. So please be on the lookout for details, and when the call for volunteers goes out, please consider helping us make this sale a success!
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Membership
by Mark Thompson
In August, we continued to grow and are now show 444 members on our roster. The four new members who joined our ranks are:
- Ann Bracco
- Barbara Spiers
- Kimberly and John Ferguson
Please make them feel welcomed!
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